Manual:Infantry Manual:Appendix B

SFMC Terminology
Here is a list of common terms, abbreviations and acronyms that appear in this manual. There may be some references to terms that are common to the SFMC, but are not listed in this glossary. Those terms should be listed in the Marine Force Manual or in other relevant Branch Guidebooks.

Aerospace 1. A planet’s atmosphere and the space outside of it, considered as one continuous field. 2. Things that are designed for flight in aerospace. 3. The combat arm that deploys aerospace vehicles, such as fighters. 4. The aerospace vehicles of a combat force.

Airborne Assault To insert large quantities of Infantry troops via parachute. Historically referred only to operations from air to land, but now also refers to operations where troops are launched/dropped from orbit to planet-side.

Amphibious Relating to or organized for a military landing by means of combined naval and land forces. Historically referred only to operations from water to land, but now also refers to ops from orbit to planetside.

Anti-Aircraft Designed specifically to damage/destroy aerospace craft.

Antigrav/Antigravity A method of propulsion or lifting that uses an anti-graviton generator to counteract the normal effects of gravity.

Anti-Personnel Designed specifically to inflict death or bodily injury rather than materiel destruction.

Anti-Shipping Designed specifically to damage / destroy spacecraft / starships.

Anti-Vehicular Designed to damage/destroy ground / water-based vehicles.

Armor 1. A defensive covering worn to protect the body against weapons. 2. A tough, protective covering, such as metallic plates or composite panels on tanks or warships. 3. The combat arm that deploys armored vehicles. 4. The armored vehicles of a ground force (includes tanks and self-propelled artillery in the case of the SFMC).

Armor Rating A subjective numeric value assigned to a vehicle or suit’s armor capabilities that indicates only its relative strength/weakness in relation to other like units. See also “sensor rating”.

Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) Any of a series of wheeled, tracked, or hover-capable ground vehicles designed for transporting Infantry personnel on the battlefield.

Battalion In the SFMC, 3-4 companies plus HQ (typically 400 to 600 persons). Branch A group of related jobs within the Starfleet Marine Corps. There are eight branches of duty within the SFMC: Aerospace, Armor, Combat Engineers, Infantry, Mecha, Medical, Special Operations, and Support.

Brigade In the SFMC, 3-4 battalions plus HQ (typically 1500 to 2400 persons).

Butt The very end piece of a rifle that contacts the shoulder of the user when in proper firing position. See also “stock”.

Caliber The diameter of the bore of a firearm, shown today in millimeters.

Camouflage 1. The method or result of concealing personnel or equipment from an enemy by making them appear to be part of the natural surroundings. 2. The use of physical, as opposed to electronic or holographic, camouflage.

Carbine A lightweight rifle with a short barrel.

Case-Less Ammunition requiring no attached casing of propellant.

Centimeter One one-hundredth of a meter. There are about 2.6cm in an inch.

Cloaking Technology Any system designed to render persons or objects “invisible”; usually by selective manipulation of light rays.

Colonial Marines One of several historical Marine organizations that evolved into the present day SFMC.

Combined Arms Military term for operations that involve more than one branch type of unit (Aerospace and Armor, Mecha and Infantry, etc.). Also known as “composite” operations or units.

Company In the SFMC, 3 platoons plus HQ (typically 120 to 140 persons).

Crew Portable Something designed to be carried by two or more Marines.

Deflector Shield Standard defense field for starships, based on the ability to alter gravitational effects across a plane perpendicular to the incoming threat. Deflector shields do not function safely or effectively inside a planetary atmosphere.

Differential Thrust The process of maneuvering by disproportionately distributing thrust through nozzles, which usually point in several directions. Commonly used by missiles. See also “vectored thrust”.

Direct Fire A method of weapon employment where line of sight must exist between the firing weapon and it’s target.

Division 3-4 brigades plus HQ (typically 7,000 to 10,000 persons).

Duranium Extremely hard metal alloy used extensively in starship construction, armor, and projectiles.

Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) Measure to counteract enemy sensing and targeting attempts through jamming, misinformation and distortion of their sensor signals.

Effective Range In weapon systems, the distance at which the average operator can place the majority of shots on target. See also “maximum range”.

Eloflage Any type of electronic measures or countermeasures designed to camouflage something.

Entrenching To dig or occupy a trench.

Eugenics Wars Devastating wars that took place on Earth’s in the 1990’s. Augments, genetically engineered humans (who believed themselves superior to non-engineered humans), were supposed to lead humanity into an era of peace, but instead they tried to conquer the world. One augment, Khan Noonien Singh conquered more than 1/4 of the planet Earth in 1992.

Exotic Atmosphere Any non-Class-M atmosphere that is composed of hominid-toxic, corrosive or high-pressure gases.

Field In SFMC organization, a group of related MOSs within a branch. Examples in the Infantry Branch are Light Infantry and Powered Infantry.

Fire Team The basic maneuver unit of SFMC Infantry. Usually four persons.

Flare In infantry applications, an incendiary illumination device to provide a lighted field of view during night operations. See also “Powered Flare”.

Flechette (flah-SHAY) Small dart or needle sized projectiles, usually fired in a large group as an antipersonnel weapon (they are usually ineffective against armored targets).

Force Field Bold text A defensive technology, consisting of an energized field that that protects a target by deflecting, diverting or absorbing a certain amount of energy per millisecond. Sometimes inaccurately referred to as “shields”.

Frangible Capable of being broken; breakable.

Fulminate To explode or detonate.

Gravitic Of or having to do with gravity; esp. the manipulation of gravity.

Grip On a handheld weapon, the portion or portions by which the operator holds the weapon with his hands.

Halberd A weapon of the 15th and 16th centuries having an axe-like blade and a steel spike mounted on the end of a long shaft.

Hardened Term used to describe a building or fortification that has been constructed to resist damage from enemy weapons. This can be done by improving the design, using stronger materials etc.

Heavy Weapons Weapons designed to engage vehicles or equivalent hardened targets, or to affect a large area with a single attack. Often requires a special mount or firing platform and more than one person to operate.

Holoflage The use of hologram generation for the purpose of camouflage.

Hominid Historically, a primate of the family Hominidae, of which Homo sapiens is the only extant species. Today used interchangeably with “humanoid” to describe beings which are terran-like in appearance.

Humanoid See “hominid”.

Incendiary Causing or capable of causing fire.

Indirect Fire Fire from artillery, mortars, rockets, or similar weapons of a ballistic or semi- ballistic nature. The projectile does not travel a straight path and so a direct line of sight to the target is not needed.

Kilogram Standard measurement for weight used in the metric system. One kilogram is 1000 grams, or about 2.2 pounds.

Kilometer Standard measurement for distance used in the metric system. A kilometer is 1000 meters, or about 0.6 miles.

Kiloton Standard measurement for explosive force. It is equal to the explosive force of 1000 tons of conventional TNT explosive.

Legion The major unit of the Roman army consisting of 3,000 to 6,000 infantry troops and 100 to 200 cavalry troops.

Light Weapons Man-portable weapons designed primarily to engage individual personnel targets or very small vehicles.

Longbow A long, handdrawn bow, such as that used in medieval England, which sometimes exceeded 6 feet (1.8 meters) in length.

Man Portable Something designed to be carried by one Marine.

Manpack A man-portable system designed to be carried in a pack, usually on the back. It must usually be unpacked before use.

Marine Occupational Specialty (MOS) The specific “job” or function to which the individual Marine is trained to do. Groups of related MOSs are called Branches. For more info on MOS, please refer to indvidual branch manual.

Maximum Range In weapon systems, the maximum distance a shot will travel if it hits nothing else in flight. For Infantry weap-ons, it is usually expressed in terms of a Class M atmosphere/gravity.

MegaCorporations Huge industrial conglomerates of the 21st century, responsible for much of Earth’s early colonization efforts and rebuilding of civilization after the Eugenics Wars. Funded the Colonial Marines.

Meter Measure of distance, the standard on which the metric system is based. One meter equals 39 inches, or one yard plus three inches.

Millimeter One one-thousandth of a meter. About the thickness of a 20th century U.S. dime.

Mission 1. A special assignment given to a person or group. 2. A combat operation assigned to a person or military unit. 3. An aerospace operation intended to carry out specific program objectives.

Musket A smoothbore shoulder gun used from the late 16th c. to the 18th c.

Muzzle The end of the barrel of a projectile weapon through which the projectile leaves. Also, the emitter crystal end of an energy weapon.

Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Refers collectively to pay grades E-4 through E-9 (corporal through sergeant major). These are enlisted personnel who lead other subordinate enlisted personnel.

Omni-Directional In all directions simultaneously.

Phalanx A formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears, developed by Philip II of Macedon and used by Alexander the Great.

Platoon In the SFMC, three squads, a platoon leader and platoon sergeant (typically 41 persons).

Pike A long spear formerly used by infantry.

Polarization A light-filtration process that eliminates glare.

Portable Designed to be carried from place to place by personnel as opposed to vehicles. See also “man portable” and “crew portable”.

Power Cell An advanced form of battery, used to power small electronic devices and weapons.

Powered Flare An electric rather than incendiary flare that is powered by some type of battery and so remains lit far longer.

Prolonged Fire The practice of keeping a steady phaser beam firing on a target for a prolonged period. Akin to automatic projectile weapons fire in tactical use and results.

Rappel The act or method of descending from a mountainside or cliff by means of a belayed rope that is passed un-der one thigh and over the opposite shoulder so that it can be played out smoothly and gradually.

Re-Breather A respirator unit that reclaims oxygen from the exhaled gases for further inhalation by the wearer.

Reticle A network of very fine lines in the focus of the eyepiece of an optical instrument or weapon sight.

Rodinium One of the hardest metals known to Federation science. Outposts along the Romulan Neutral Zone were constructed of cast Rodinium.

Run-through The effect of a high-energy projectile or beam traveling completely through its intended target.

Sensor Rating A subjective numeric value assigned to a vehicle or suit’s sensor capabilities that indicates only its relative strength/weakness in relation to other like units. See also “armor rating”.

Sensor Signature The signal or emissions that personnel or vehicles give off, which can be detected by enemy sensing devices. This can be heat, electromagnetic, acoustic or some other form of energy.

Sniper A skilled military shooter detailed to spot and pick off enemy soldiers from a concealed place.

Special Operations Any operation that is not considered routine, common or standard when speaking of the SFMC as a whole.

Spotter One who observes friendly fire for fire control purposes.

Squad In the SFMC, 3 fire teams and a squad leader (typically 13 persons).

Stock In a hand-held weapon, the portion placed against the shoulder for stabilization.

Stop-up Tablets Oral medication that inhibits bowel movements for personnel who may spend excessive time in environmental suits.

Strategic Important or essential in relation to a plan of action; essential to the effective conduct of war; highly important to an intended objective. Usually refers to a longer-term plan or view of a military situation.

Tactical Of, relating to, used in, or involving military operations that are smaller, closer to base, and of less long-term significance than strategic operations. Usually refers to the immediate plan and situation rather than the long-term goals and picture of the strategic operation.

Top Colloquial term for the First Sergeant of a platoon or company.

Tracer A weapon that, intentionally or unintentionally, marks the path of its fire (usually chemically or electronically) so that its operator can see it.

Transatmospheric Traveling from atmosphere to space or vice-versa.

Transponder A transmitter-receiver activated for transmission by reception of a predetermined signal.

Unidirectional In only one direction.

United Nations Peace Force Military forces of the United Nations, charged with peacekeeping duties and defense of Earth against aggressors.

Vectored Thrust The process of maneuvering by changing the orientation of a thruster nozzle while maintaining the level of thrust through the nozzle. See also “differential thrust”.

Wake Island A hallmark battle in the history of the Marine Corps. For two weeks, a force of 400 U.S. Marines and about 1,000 civilians fought off an entire Japanese invasion force of ships, planes and troops; although the island was finally captured by the Japanese in late December, 1941.